Stop Radio Checks

[fisherman]

Most fishermen would ask for a radio check on the channels they use, adding their location
Not much point getting a reply from the other side of the quay.

 

[capnsensible]

Most fishermen would ask for a radio check on the channels they use, adding their location
Not much point getting a reply from the other side of the quay.

Location? Like I'm three parts of a best part of a tidy way out? Really spoken by a south east coast fisherman chatting to his mum. On vhf. Classic!

 

[fisherman]

I asked a local about going round Lands End for the first time, he told me "keep a handy berth off".

 

[Biggles Wader]

The vessel calling Dover coastguard you are war and peace------unreadable.

 

[finestgreen]

The thing with radio checks is that the responses are rarely honest. The request for a radio check, could generate a response that says signal strength noisy, but fully readable - that's useful. !

I've heard a few "Station calling Solent Coastguard for a radio check, received loud and clear" which made me dubious!

 

[Sandy]

Coastguard tend to be a bit variable - Most I agree are useful, but sometimes the operator clearly misses the wind noise and says weak - and worse, sometimes misunderstands the local strong accent - which admittedly, can be a bit, er, odd.

The response is subjective. It is how the receiver hears the message, not you as you will have a different antenna and VHF set.

I love the different accents round the coast, it is something to be proud of. Which ones are you struggling with? If you don't understand what is being said then call them up and ask them to repeat it and that you are struggling with their accent.

 

[Debennut]

I used to own a Seadog ketch called "Dogboat" (the first owner, was the skipper of an mtb during the war, they were nicknamed dogboats).
Halfway across the Dover Strait just before entering the SW lane, visibility dropped, (before AIS). I called Dover GC to get a view of traffic.
"Dover Coast Guard this is yacht Dogboat"
Dover DC came back immediately "Yacht Dogpoo" !!!
Once I stopped giggling I spelt the boats name phonetically. He came back very apologetically and was very helpful with traffic info, allowing me to make a decision to proceed across the SW lane.

 

[wonkywinch]

The idiots were out in force on the Solent this morning as CG dealt with various pan & mayday calls switching the lifeboats across to CH 0. Then another "Solent Coastguard x3 this is Blithering Idiot for a radio check" "We're occupied on Channel 0 with a Mayday, please call NCI CH65 for your checks". "Thank you Solent Coastguard, also reading you 5, Blithering Idiot out".

 

[LiftyK]

I was reading the manual for my VHF radio this evening. It mentioned automatic radio checks are available in the USA. You call on the special frequency. After a short pause, the automated service repeats your message so you can then hear for yourself how clear your radio is transmitting. This could be implemented on our British shores.

 

[Sandy]

The idiots were out in force on the Solent this morning as CG dealt with various pan & mayday calls switching the lifeboats across to CH 0. Then another "Solent Coastguard x3 this is Blithering Idiot for a radio check" "We're occupied on Channel 0 with a Mayday, please call NCI CH65 for your checks". "Thank you Solent Coastguard, also reading you 5, Blithering Idiot out".

Very odd, Falmouth CG always moves the RNLI onto CH 0 once they have haled each other on CH 16, but you are correct the blithering idiot clearly has had a common sense bypass.

Perhaps the RYA via the Solent Sailing Clubs should have an education programme and encourage the blithering idiots to use NCI.

 

[wonkywinch]

Very odd, Falmouth CG always moves the RNLI onto CH 0 once they have haled each other on CH 16, but you are correct the blithering idiot clearly has had a common sense bypass.

Perhaps the RYA via the Solent Sailing Clubs should have an education programme and encourage the blithering idiots to use NCI.

CG/RNLI were on CH 0 already. I'd heard the initial call on and transfer away from 16 but Blithering Idiot didn't.

It seems there was quite a large operation going on yesterday as well as the radio checkers and engine failures I heard.

Significant quantity of drugs found off Dorset coast

 

[Sandy]

CG/RNLI were on CH 0 already. I'd heard the initial call on and transfer away from 16 but Blithering Idiot didn't.

It seems there was quite a large operation going on yesterday as well as the radio checkers and engine failures I heard.

Significant quantity of drugs found off Dorset coast

Perhaps the CG should have insisted on a SEELONCE.

 

[fisherman]

there was some cinfusion locally when Someone was calling 'Dew-genen-Y' and got an answer from Bill Kennedy

Perhaps the CG should have insisted on a SEELONCE.

yerbut if he hadn't heard all the calls on 16 he won't hear that either. I think NCI may be the answer, until that gets too busy. Automated answering for test is the one, but who will pay?

 

[jac]

Perhaps the RYA via the Solent Sailing Clubs should have an education programme and encourage the blithering idiots to use NCI.

I have a strong suspicion that many of the blithering idiots are not the type to join clubs or participate in education. NCI is well known amongst people who do care. It's them others such as the occasional charterer who decided it was perhaps a nice weekend so lets charter a yacht on the solent for the weekend and did that yachts 100th radio check of the year

 

[finestgreen]

I have a strong suspicion that many of the blithering idiots are not the type to join clubs or participate in education. NCI is well known amongst people who do care. It's them others such as the occasional charterer who decided it was perhaps a nice weekend so lets charter a yacht on the solent for the weekend and did that yachts 100th radio check of the year

They should all have been "educated" already in order to legally operate the radio, so it seems optimistic to expect more education to help

 

[johnalison]

Perhaps the CG should have insisted on a SEELONCE.

It is possible to switch on the radio, wait for the obligatory minute or so, and then initiate a call without being aware of a SEELONCE being in action, though preferably not for a radio check of course. I don't think it has ever happened to me, but innocent calls are possible, though my preference for DSC eliminates the risk.

 

[Gatewaysailing]

Why in the Solent and South Coast is there a plague of yachtsmen who find it necessary to call for a radio check every time they go out on their yacht?
You almost never hear professionals asking for such a check unless it is on newly installed equipment.
French yachtsmen have not been afflicted by this habit. In the Solent it only needs one boat to request a check and a succession of calls are made.
Can we please persuade all our boating friends and acquaintances to call a marina or a friend if they really doubt if their radio is working.
The National Coastwatch Institution on Ch 65 will respond if you really must make a call.

I no longer routinely monitor Ch 16 or 67 because of the constant demands for radio checks.

i am new to sailing and i googled what channel to check if radio working and it clearly said 67 so i did and it worked and was fine so what channel do people actually test on as if someone goes out and does not test everything they putting their lives at risk i would have thought?

 

[johnalison]

i am new to sailing and i googled what channel to check if radio working and it clearly said 67 so i did and it worked and was fine so what channel do people actually test on as if someone goes out and does not test everything they putting their lives at risk i would have thought?

I would have thought that this sort of thing would have been covered in the radio course you did when seeking qualification, which you do have, I presume.

 

[wonkywinch]

i am new to sailing and i googled what channel to check if radio working and it clearly said 67 so i did and it worked and was fine so what channel do people actually test on as if someone goes out and does not test everything they putting their lives at risk i would have thought?

If you tested "everything" each time you went sailing, you'd never leave the mooring. For a VHF radio, the fact it switches on and the display correctly shows, there is now a 90% chance of it working, all that remains is the connection to the antenna. If it receives stations, I'd say you're now 95% sure it will work on transmit as well (statisticians please adjust with your own %). The problem is most radio checks are not checking much at all. I bet people don't set it to low power and call distant stations as a check, it'll be 25 watts to the nearest CG station less than a mile away which will prove little in the way of function in an emergency (ie distant contact in poor conditions be it heavy rain, an attenuator, or serious ducting like this weekend with the bands being swamped.

 

[fisherman]

The only caveat, especially with damp FVs: a VHF will receive on about 1amp, but to transmit at 25W needs 7amps. If your inline fuse holder has gone a bit green then the connection will be fine on receive and break down on TX. A screwed connection rather than a spring loaded holder is a better thing.